Author: Kalashian Nyrie

Armenia leader expresses condolences over Niyazov death
by Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency

December 21, 2006 Thursday 03:14 PM EST

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan expressed on Thursday condolences
to the government of Turkmenistan in connection with the death of
President Saparmurat Niyazov.

"Armenia learned with profound grief the news about a sudden death
of President Saparmurat Niyazov," said a message circulated by the
president’s press service.

"Niyazov was at the origins of the formation of an independent
Turkmenistan and was its permanent leader," Kocharyan said.

"We highly appreciate his contribution to the strengthening and
development of Armenia-Turkmenistan relations," the Armenian leader
stressed. He is confident that "the people of Turkmenistan will keep
making every effort for the sake of prosperity of their Fatherland
as well as the strengthening of statehood and independence" of their
country.

ARA ABRAHAMYAN SEES A LINK BETWEEN RA ELECTIONS, INTERESTS OF THE WEST AND THE RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN CONFRONTATION

ArmRadio.am
21.12.2006 16:25

Ara Abrahamyan, President of the Union of Russian Armenians, has
declared that "the West will certainly try to influence the process
and results of the forthcoming elections in Armenia, but many things
will depend on the outcome of the Russian-Georgian confrontation." Ara
Abrahamyan said this in an interview with the "Novoye Russkoye Slovo"
newspaper, Mediamax agency reports.

"I think that despite the undisputable economic and military
attractiveness of the West, Russia has more supporters in the South
Caucasus, especially in Armenia. It’s not accidental that influential
politicians stand for the maintenance of close political and economic
relations with Russia. First and foremost, this refers to President
Robert Kocharyan and Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan," Ara Abrahamyan
declared.

ARMEN AMIRYAN: 2006 WAS AN IMPORTANT YEAR FOR THE PUBLIC RADIO

ArmRadio.am
20.12.2006 12:40

Executive Director of the Public Radio of Armenia Armen Amiryan summed
up today the activity of the past year and spoke about the plans for
2007. He noted that 2006 was an important year in history of radio,
since this year it celebrated the 80th anniversary, which, in its
turn, increases the responsibility. According to Armen Amiryan,
the most essential achievement of the year was the technical
re-equipment. Besides, 80 hours long programs are broadcasted on
four radio channels. This year the newly opened "Radio Jazz" and
"Radio Yerevan" came to replace the "Stereo Studio."

In 2006 there has been no reduction of the staff, moreover, rise of
salaries is expected in 2007.

During the press conference Armen Amiryan also turned to the newly
created fund of musical groups, the field of action of which are the
three musical groups – the Ensemble of Folk Instruments after Aram
Merangulyan, the Symphonic Orchestra of TV and Radio and "Arevik
Youth Ensemble.

CONFERENCE OF ARMENIAN AMERICAN HEALTH ASSOCIATION TAKES PLACE IN WASHINGTON

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Dec 20 2006

WASHINGTON, DECEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The conference
of the Armenian American Health Association took place on December
16 at the RA Embassy to the U.S. Grigor Khachikian, the Chairman of
the Armenian American Health Union, other heads of the organization
presented the annual report during the conference. Then the event
participants got acquainted with the photo exhibition telling about the
activity implemented by the organization in Artsakh. The exhibition
opened in the territory of the RA Embassy was organized jointly with
the "Narekatsi" cultural fund. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA
Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department, RA Ambassador
to the U.S. Tatul Margarian made a greeting speech during the
conference. He attached importance to exchange of experience among
the American Armenian and RA specialists of the health sphere and
expressed gratitude for the continual assistance shown to Armenia
and Artsakh by American Armenian doctors. Reference: The Armenian
American Health Association was founded in 1991 to show assistance
to the health care sphere of Armenia and Artsakh. During the recent
15 years the organization gave medicine and equipment to the General
Military Hospital of Yerevan, health care institutions of Yerevan and
RA marzes, founded mobile emergency rooms in the regions of Hadrut
and Martuni of Artsakh.

FM: UNSC RESOLUTION ON IRAN A HOSTILE MOVE

Fars News Agency, Iran
Dec 17 2006

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki
stressed here on Sunday that Tehran views any UNSC resolution on
sanctions against Iran as a hostile measure.

Speaking in a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart,
Mottaki also described referral of Iran’s nuclear dossier to the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC) as illegal and politically-driven,
and reminded that none of the reports presented by the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General or inspectors speak of
Iran’s diversion from peaceful to military nuclear activities or goals.

"When a completely technical issue is pretended to be a security
problem, it means that they are politicizing the issue," he reminded.

The Iranian top diplomat referred to the recent acknowledgement of
the Zionist regime officials that the Israeli regime is equipped with
nuclear weapons, and lashed out at the Security Council’s indifference
to the issue, asking, "What measures has the UN Security Council
adopted so far in this regard?"

The Iranian foreign minister also condemned the statements by the
Zionist regime officials about accumulation of nuclear weapons in
the region.

He further added that the Islamic Republic of Iran is pursuing
the case of accumulation of more than 200 nuclear warheads in
the occupied Palestinian territories by the Israeli regime through
continued contacts with the Arab League Secretary General, President
and Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
(OIC), UN Secretary General, Chairman of the UN Security Council,
Chairwomen of the UN General Assembly and IAEA Director General.

Mottaki said Tehran expects regional countries show a decisive reaction
in this regard and initiate to adopt the necessary measures at the
regional and international levels.

He also expressed the hope that the counterparty to Iran’s nuclear
case would return to the negotiating table.

Elsewhere, the minister voiced Iran’s preparedness to take part in
a consortium for the management of Armenia’s gas pipeline.

RECEPTION DEDICATED TO DAY OF ADOPTION OF UNO’S CONVENTION ON PREVENTION AND DENUNCIATION OF GENOCIDE HELD IN ARMENIAN EMBASSY IN IRAN

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Dec 14 2006

YEREVAN, December 13. /ARKA/. A reception, dedicated to the Day of
Adoption of UNO Convention on prevention and denunciation of genocide
in 1948, was held in the Armenian embassy in Iran.

Head of the UNO Office in Iran Knut Ostby spoke about the consistent
work that has been implemented by the Armenian government to adopt
the Convention-related resolutions that ensure the significance of
the topic on prevention and denunciation of genocide.

In his turn, Armenian Ambassador to Iran Karen Nazaryan, having
emphasized the Convention from the viewpoint of human rights
protection, presented Armenia’s initiatives in UNO that are related
to genocide, and singled out some mechanisms for prevention of this
crime, responsibility of states in denouncing genocide, compensation
and restoration of the victims’ rights.

The Ambassador also pointed out the necessity in applying the
Convention in the case of the Armenian Genocide. He emphasized the
importance to stop the policy of non-recognition of the Genocide by
Turkey and to make consistent efforts of the international community
in this context.

JIRAIR SEFILYAN’S ARREST WAS PROLONGED

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 13 2006

On December 12 Justice Gayaneh Karakhanyan of the First Instance Court
of Center and Nork-Marash sanctioned the National Security Service
to arrest Jirair Sefilyan for two months. The leader of the Civic
Action for Defense of Liberated Territories, member of the Movement
for Consolidation of Armenian Volunteers and the board of trustees
of Arax-Kura Foundation for Resettlement and Development was arrested
on a charge of plotting a coup.

The practice of law in Armenia shows that the court sittings for
sanctions for arrest hardly ever last longer than 30 monites, however,
in Jirair Sefilyan’s case the sitting lasted for 8 hours, from 15-20
to 23.30. The reasons are not known.

The sanction for the arrest of Vardan Malkhasyan detained on the
same charge was given by the First Instance Court of Erebuni and
Nubarashen. If in the case of Jirair Sefilyan the sitting of the
court lasted for 8 hours, in Vardan Malkhasyan’s case the family
and friends were told that the sitting had been cancelled, whereas
late in the evening they learned that the sitting had taken place at
midday, and the court had sanctioned the arrest of Vardan Malkhasyan
for two months.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 0033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 10) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website:

December 14, 2006

In Light of New Realities: ACNIS Looks at Political Prospects for 2007

Yerevan–So as thoroughly to discuss, against the backdrop of the ongoing
Mountainous Karabagh negotiations and new geopolitical changes, and present
an expert viewpoint on the likely political events of the coming year, the
Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) today
convened–and concluded its 2006 seminar sessions with–a policy roundtable
entitled "Forecasting Political Developments in 2007."

ACNIS senior analyst Hovsep Khurshudian greeted the audience with opening
remarks. "I believe we will soon become the eyewitnesses to significant
events, and this is already being sensed," he said.

In his address with respect to the correlation between domestic political
occurrences and the Mountainous Karabagh negotiations process, ACNIS
director of research Stepan Safarian noted that those events had become a
captive to the aforesaid process. In his view, the negotiation process,
which took on unprecedented import in 2006–the year for the "window of
opportunities"–resulted in such an "evolution" in the positions of the
authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan that anticipating any public support
would be considered naive. "Should presidents Kocharian and Aliyev sign
under any accord, they would face serious political consequences at home,
whereas the internal and external resources in terms of moving forward and
reaching a final agreement are now depleted," he stressed. According to
Safarian, this situation equally increases the likelihood and uncertainty of
a series of political developments in Armenia: 1) In case an agreement was
put into effect regarding the Mountainous Karabagh issue, the ruling powers
would get a virtually unhindered chance to reproduce themselves; 2) if no
agreement were reached, the ruling clique, despite its apparent internal
strength, would lose its regime; and 3) in line with a "conjoined" scenario,
both internal and external forces, in order not to lose their power
completely, would engineer the next palace coup.

In his turn, chairman of the Union of Political Scientists of Armenia and MP
Hmayak Hovhannisian deliberated on the geopolitical aspects of the
developments that are likely to take place in the country. In Hovhannisian’s
assessment, that numerous Armenian political figures are seeking out foreign
backers is not promising. "This does not trigger at all the interest of
important geopolitical centers toward the politicians who have great
ambitions; on the contrary, this causes a negative societal attitude, and
substantially hurts the image of those politicians who look abroad for
‘approval,’" Hovhannisian noted. With regard to the Mountainous Karabagh
negotiations process, the political scientist asserted that the existing
settlement proposal is unacceptable for Armenia’s authorities not for fear
of weakening their positions, but so they would not be cursed for all
eternity by the subsequent generations. "If the Robert Kocharian-Serge
Sargsian duo sign the agreement on the principles for the regulation of the
Mountainous Karabagh conflict, they will unquestionably remain in power, and
the idea of the postponed referendum is a sure guarantee for the
reproduction of the incumbent regime," Hovhannisian maintained.

The next speaker, director Gagik Ter-Harutiunian of the Noravank Foundation,
focused on the probable global changes and their possible impact on Armenia.
He expressed a conviction that against the background of the
military-technological potential and the politico-military capabilities of
the superpowers, at least four or five power centers are presently being
formed in the world, and this, in Ter-Harutiunian’s view, poses a
significant challenge to Armenia’s foreign policy agenda. This means that
when making externally-related decisions, we "should not go along with just
one country" and consequently forget or disregard others. "The precept of
complementarity is conceivably justifiable for small nations, and all that
remains is simply to make advantageous use of it," Ter-Harutiunian
concluded.

The participants in the ensuing discussion included deputy chairman Edward
Antinian of the Liberal Progressive Party; ACNIS director of administration
Karapet Kalenchian; analyst Alvard Barkhudarian; Anahit Bayandur from the
Armenian Committee of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly; civic activist
Alexander Butayev; Ruzan Khachaturian from the People’s Party; Artak
Poghosian from the Republican Party; and several others.

Founded in 1994 by Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi K.
Hovannisian and supported by a global network of contributors, ACNIS serves
as a link between innovative scholarship and the public policy challenges
facing Armenia and the Armenian people in the post-Soviet world. It also
aspires to be a catalyst for creative, strategic thinking and a wider
understanding of the new global environment. In 2006, the Center focuses
primarily on civic education, conflict resolution, and applied research on
critical domestic and foreign policy issues for the state and the nation.

For further information on the Center call (37410) 52-87-80 or 27-48-18; fax
(37410) 52-48-46; email [email protected] or [email protected]; or visit

SCIENTISTS BELIEVE ALL FINANCIAL SOURCES ALLOCATED FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE SHOULD BE SPENT ON SECURING COMPETITIVE SCIENTIFIC RESULTS
By Rouzan Poghosian

AZG Armenian Daily
13/12/2006

On December 9-10, the Interdepartmental Commission, as well
as RA National Fund for Promotion of the Science and Leading
Technologies initiated "The Principles for Reforming in Scientific
Sphere" discussion in Tsakhkadzor. It’s worth mentioning that the
leadership of RA National Academy of Science didn’t participate in
the discussion. As for the absence of the leadership of RA National
Academy, Harutyun Karapetian, head of RA National Fund for Promotion
of the Science and Leading Technologies, stated that they have no
problems with the academy leadership and they only have a concept
that has almost nothing in common with the science. "Armenia isn’t
rich in financial sources and, at the same time has huge scientific
potential. Thus, all financial sources allocated for the development
of the science should be spend on securing competitive scientific
results," he said. He added that provincial approaches are applied
at the Academy when giving the various academic degrees.

Karapetian added that only competitive scientific results should be
financed. He said that the concept is a good one, expect for the points
for the Academy and the Higher Qualification Committee. "Their statuses
remain unchanged, they can yield good results neither for the country’s
development nor for European development approaches," he said.

On his turn, academician Eduard Ghazarian touched upon the issue of
Nan technologies. He stated that Nan technologies can’t be a primary
line for the Armenian science, though in 1991 there were 21 thousand
specialists of Nan Technologies in Armenia and we still have the same
potential," he said.

As for the concept for scientific development, he said that wee
seem to be fallen into a swirl for already 4-5 years and fail to
make progress. He said that in order to make progress, one should
elaborate the scientific development program and mechanisms for its
implementation as soon as possible.

Ara Avetisian, RA Science and Education deputy Minister, emphasized
that the newly appointed Director of RA Economy Institute at
RA National Academy should elaborate the economic aspect for the
concept’s implementation.

Samvel Gevorgian, lecturer at the Yerevan State University’s Physics
Faculty, stated that a council dealing with the scientific development
issues should be shaped at RA President’s or RA Prime Minister’s Office
that will include also young Armenian scientists that work abroad. He
added that the academy should only evaluate the scientific value of
the researches and elaborate strategic plans, the rest should be done
by the council. He added that the concept is a plan of actions that
should lead us to the destination we attain.

It’s worth mentioning that RA Science and Education Minister Levon
Mkrtchian wasn’t present at the conference, either.

TURNOUT IN NAGORNO KARABAKH CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM EXCEEDS 80%

Interfax, Russia
Dec 10 2006

STEPANAKERT. Dec 10 (Interfax) – The constitutional referendum in
the breakaway republic of Nagorno Karabakh ended on Sunday.

Early reports say the turnout was 83.7% of the 90,000 or so registered
voters, the republic’s election commission said.

A commission spokesman added that tentative results will be announced
on Monday.

Meanwhile, a group of European observers noted that the referendum
had been conducted correctly.

"We have not complaints to make," one of them told the press.

Luciano Ardesi, an observer from Italy and head of the International
League for the Rights and Liberation of Peoples, said the referendum
observed all voting standards.

"What the people of Nagorno Karabakh did today is quite legitimate.

The international community must recognize the right of the people of
Nagorno Karabakh to either establish its own state or join Armenia,"
he said.